Aussie divers' shark encounter

Two blokes hold great white killer at bay with pointy sticks

Strewth! When you head out for a spot of spear fishing the arrival of a great white shark is probably the last thing you want to see.

But that's exactly what happened to two guys off the coast of western Australia at the weekend.

Dave Richards and Nathan Podmore encountered the great white shark in the waters near Geraldton. With the shark circling them, the two Aussies held the beast at a 'safe' distance with their spear guns. The divers also took out a knife at one point in case things got intimate and violent.

The whole encounter was filmed using a headcam worn by one of the divers, and the video of the incident has now gathered interest from the Australian media. The clip shows the shark positioned between the divers and the security of their boat. With their route to safety blocked by one of the natural world's most feared predators, the divers had little choice but to stand their ground.

At one point the divers can be seen giving the great white shark a 'poke' with a spear gun. Thankfully, the prod worked in chasing the shark away rather than antagonising it.

In an interview with 7News, Dave Richards said: "I felt some water displaced behind me, I think, and turned around and there was the back section of the shark. It scared the hell out us."

Dave added: "In the water it looked huge, but in hindsight it was probably about three and a half, four metres. I probably only saw the back metre of the shark - there's only one shark that could have been."

Once the divers were able to climb back aboard their boat the relief on their faces and in their voices is palpable. They have escaped a nasty fate, and they know it.

After watching the video Macca Sherifi, gapyear.com spokesperson and shark enthusiast, said: "There have been a few bad shark stories recently in Australia, so it's great that these guys got away clean with a great story to tell and a great video to share.

"If they play their cards right, they could dine out on this adventure for years."

Macca added: "I would love to get in the water with a shark myself - although I might use a cage for protection!"